Manufacturing processes, life cycle analysis, and future challenges for wind turbine blades

Abstract

Wind turbines obtain clean energy from the wind, however, there is a significant environmental impact due to the use of some of their materials. This article analyzes the manufacturing, life cycle, and dismantling of these machines, to under-stand new opportunities to improve these negative aspects, through the review of various articles. The search was focused on SCOPUS articles, using the word "wind turbine" in titles, abstracts, and keywords, obtaining 68,362 results. Subsequently, these results were filtered only articles, reviews, and research theses, reducing the search to 3,663 results, the search was limited to only 10 years, counting from 2020 to 2010, reaching 2,189 documents. The analysis of 2,189 documents obtained is carried out, reducing the literary base to 185 documents with information on manufacturing processes, life cycle analysis, and advances in some countries in the implementation of improvements in the manufacture of wind turbines, to reduce environmental impact. The use of thermosetting materials in wind turbine blades is a reality that must be modified by the environmental problems that these are causing, new materials for blades must be developed by the principles of the circular economy.

Keywords

• Wind turbine blade
• blade manufacturing processes
• recycling
• reuse and life cycle assessment analysis of blades turbine
• renewable energy policies